Life Did Change
by LukeAndLorelai Brucas Fan
Summary: It's so much better now. It's been eight years since the gang graduated high school, and they're still all really close. Now get ready for just a few more days in their lives. Enjoy the fun. I'm tired, the summary sucks, but if you liked LCC, read it.


AN: I said I was done with this, I wanted this story over and done with, but yesterday, on the way home from my family Christmas party I saw a guy in army clothes. It appears that was all my muse needed to show you all a glimpse of the future of these particular characters.

This is for KariandTK. Thanks for your reveiw for LCC

"You look sexy in your fatigues," she said into the phone with a grin on her face.

"_You_ look sexy in my fatigues." replied her husband. Rory laughed, she looked in the mirror, and rubbed her stomach, over the top of Tristan's khaki shirt she slept in while he was away.

"Well if you hurry home, then you might just get a glimpse of me in them."

Tristan had returned to the military when they were engaged, about a year before their wedding. Now, three years after that, he was on his way home from thirteen weeks of training at the Fort Bragg base in North Carolina. He had never gone to fight in any wars, which Rory was eternally grateful for.

"I'll see you in sixteen hours, make sure you don't change your clothes."

"You actually expect me to rock up at the airport in nothing but a camoflage t-shirt?"

"Hmm, I like that visual, Mrs. Dugray."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Captain Dugray."

"Hey, without my gutter-mind I wouldn't have survived the last three months."

"Good point. But you'll be home soon, so you can put the dirtyness away."

"Until I get home that is. Then the dirtyness comes right back out and-"

"Ok, Ok. I'm hanging up now. I'll see you in fifteen hours and forty-eight minutes."

"I love you baby. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I love you too." Rory hung up and turned back to the mirror, lifting her shirt, to examine her stomach.

Three months ago she'd made love to her husband and now as she stood alone in their bedroom, she could see the result of that night.

"We're having a baby, Tristan." she whispered, pressing her hand against the tiny person growing inside of her.

---

Haley James Scott looked up at her husband and smiled. "It's amazing Luke!"

"You really like it?" Lucas asked, sitting at the other end of the couch. He'd been watching her as she read his manuscript, gauging her reactions to the things he had written.

"I love it. It's a perfect sequel. You tied everything up so beautifully."

"So, it's ready? Should I take it to Lindsay?"

"Definatley. It's absolutly perfect. You couldn't have done it any better."

"I'm so glad that you like it. You know that your oppinion is the only one that matters."

"Well, I know that's a lie. Your mom, your brother's, Rory's oppinion is even more important than mine because as we all know, she's read about fifty thousand more books than me."

"But you are the most important-"

"Oh, I know, I know." she put the binded papers down on the coffee-table, and moved to his end of the couch, to snuggle against his chest. "You'll never be able to visit me at work again. Everyone of my students will hound you with questions and demand autographs. Parent-teacher conference's are going to be a nightmare."

"Ok, that's it." Lucas moved Haley off of himself and crossed the room to the fireplace. Holding his manuscript above the roaring flames, Lucas looked over at Haley. "I can end it all right now. We burn this and no one ever has to know. Everyone will forget about the first book and I'll be a nobody again."

"Lucas Eugene Scott, don't you dare burn that! I have the entire book committed to memory and I will re-write it if I have to."

"You sure? I could make our lives very simple within about sixty seconds."

"I'm sure. Give it to me... Now, hand it over," Lucas smiled and held the papers out to his wife and released them as her hand closed around them. "Thank you. Now, I'm going to keep this somewhere safe and I will take it to your editor myself."

"No, no. We will not have a repeat of what happened with Hemingway."

"Oh, please, you know just as well as I do what really happened with that manuscript. It was all Ernest's fault. Don't go blaming his wife like the rest of the literary world. You should listen more carefully to Jess' stories."

"Nah, I like my own interpretations, thank you."

"Sure you do Superstar." she replied, using the name she had the night she proposed. Their lives had been a little rocky over the years, but it was nothing they couldn't handle.

And they were happy. So as far as Haley could tell, everything was good.

---

Nathan Scott collapsed into his bed and looked around his room. Two hours ago he had finished playing an away game. Which, of course Carolina had won.

Nathan had been playing for North Carolina for five years, and he loved every minute of it.

The phone rang and with a laugh, he rolled over to the end of the bed and picked up.

"Hey Dad."

"Son, great game tomight."

"Thanks." Nathan lay down again as his father ran through a play-by-play of the game.

Dan and Nathan had been getting along a lot better in the last few years, all of Dan's son's were talking and spending more time with their father these days.

After his marriage broke up, Dan was forced to take a good look at his life and re-evaluate his priorities, he had backed off with Nathan's career, and it really helped their relationship, now they could talk and be in the same room with very few problems.

Nathan was looking forward to some time off soon though, he was excited to go to Connecticut and visit his brother- and sister-in-law. Tristan would be returning from work the next day and Nathan had made a plan with Rory to visit the week afterward. Lucas, Haley, Brooke and Jake were also going to be in town and they would all be staying at Lorelai's inn.

As Nathan listened to his father speak, his other line beeped. "Sorry, Dad, I have another call. Can I call you back a little later?"

"Sure Nate. Whenever you have a minute, it's fine. Great game." he added again before Nathan hung up and answered his second line.

"So, what'd you think of the game?"

"You were awesome! God, that entire game was all you. Great job, baby."

"Thanks Luce," Nathan smiled into the phone, imagining his girlfriend across town in her own apartment.

Lucy Brewer, Nathan's girlfriend of eight years - God, he still couldn't beleive she had put up with him for that long - would also be joining him on the trip to Stars Hollow. It was nice that his family liked her so much. He knew that his mother and Karen in particular were hoping that one day soon another wedding would be announced.

Nathan wasn't entirely sure. He didn't quite know if marriage was where they were headed, if that was even something that he wanted, but for now he was just happy being with her, knowing that he loved her.

---

Peyton Sawyer was still working hard, long after her friends back home and along the coast went to bed. Of course, her good friend Jake Jygalski was with her, in New York.

"Great show Jake. You're really doing well with this whole rockstar thing."

"Thanks Peyton." he closed his guitar case and hopped off the stage of her hot new club. "It's a lot more fun than I was expecting."

"Well, you're a natural." she began to clean up the stage and Jake set about helping her. "But how does the wife feel about your new sex-symbol status?"

"Oh, you know Brooke, she's always considered me a sex-symbol."

"Right, of course, I should have known." she smiled over at him and they continued to work in silence for a few more minutes.

"Ok, that's it. I'm exhausted. Let's go, I'll finish this in the morning."

"Sure thing boss." he replied, lifting his guitar and following her out the door.

"You know what I think would be great?" Peyton asked as they walked out the back to her car.

"Haley and I doing a show together?"

"Exactly. She hasn't performed in ages, and even when she does it's at Karen's. I'd love to have her here in front of a big crowd."

"Say the word and I'll begin the recruitment when I get to the Hollow."

"You don't actually call it that do you?"

"I've heard Lorelai and Henry say it."

"And you think it's a good idea to copy Lorelai Gilmore and her eight year old son?"

"She's Mrs. Danes. Remember, she has been for years now."

"I remember, she never stops reminding us. That woman is a lot like Brooke."

"She is isn't she?" Jake smiled, thinking of his wife. She was currently at home, taking care of their nine year old daughter and newborn twin boys.

She had started up her own clothing company a few years back, but over the years she had stepped back more and more, handing the business over to her first and most trusted employee, Stephanie, bit by bit.

Now she was a stay-at-home mom most of the time, only designing part of each season's new line.

Peyton was god-mother to Riley, Haley to Oscar. Lucas and Nathan were their god-fathers. Jenny loved being a big sister, and even called Brooke 'mom' now. She'd started when she was six and at nine, continued to do so.

"So, you're really not coming to the party?" Jake asked as they pulled up in front of Peyton's apartment building.

"I can't. Too much to do here. But I've talked to Rory, she understands."

"Of course she does. Rory's just about the easiest person in the world to get along with."

"I know. I really would love to go, but, it's just not the right time. I told Rory I'd come by in a couple of months."

"That's fair I guess." Jake lay across the couch and crossed his arms behind his head. "I'm beat. And since I have a long drive ahead of me in the morning..."

"I'll let you get some rest. Make sure you wake me before you leave, ok?"

"I'll try. But I know you're a pretty heavy sleeper these days."

"Goodnight Jake." Peyton glared at her friend, before heading out of the room to crash on her bed.

---

Captain Tristan Dugrey scanned the airport searching for his wife. He'd been away for months and was desperate to see her.

Just a minute of searching and he spotted her, standing at attention, wearing a khaki shirt and jeans. He knew that she'd seen him, but she continued to stay still for a moment, before, dropping her arm to her side and running across the space between them to jump in his arms.

"Never go away again! Please, just stay here with me forever and ever!"

"Oh baby, I'm thinking about it, trust me." Rory showered him with kisses and held onto him tightly. "What happened to our deal?" he asked as she let her legs drop and she stood in front of him.

"I thought this was a pretty good compromise."

"But I said-"

"Well, what would you say if I told you I wasn't wearing any underwear?" Rory asked, a mischevious grin playing across her features.

"I'd say, 'let's go home right now, because you're torturing me.'"

"Yes sir." Rory saluted her husband and took his hand as they walked out of the airport.

Once they reached their house, Rory couldn't take it anymore. She took his hand again, instructed him to leave his bags in the car and pulled him to the couch.

"I have something I want to tell you."

"You're devorcing me aren't you?"

"How'd you guess?" she asked, smiling, unable to contain her news any longer. "No. I'm serious. I have some very important news."

"Your mom isn't pregnant again is she?" he groaned and closed his eyes.

"Why? Would a baby be such a bad thing?" Rory was now terrified to tell him. What if he wasn't happy?

"No. It's not that. Just, she's such a handful when she's pregnant, way to hard to deal with."

"Well she's not." Rory replied, climbing off the couch and walking away. "So you don't have to worry."

"Rory! Come back, what's the matter with you? What did I say?"

"You don't want pregnant Gilmore's, so, I can't really talk to you right now."

"Wait, wait, hang on. Are you telling me that we're...?"

"Yes. I'm pregnant. We're having a baby. But now I know how you feel about the woman in my family being pregnant, I'll-"

"That is the best news I have ever heard!" Tristan threw his head back and cheered. "We're having a baby, I can't believe it! This is amazing."

"So, it's ok? You're happy?"

"Of course. I love you, and nothing would make me happier than to start a family with you. You have to know that." Rory nodded, slowly smiling. "How long have you known?"

"Almost two months."

"How the hell did you keep that to yourself? It must have been killing you."

"It was. I didn't even tell my mom. But now I can. I'm so glad you're happy about it."

"God I love you."

---

A week later, Rory and Tristan stood before their friends and announced their news that they had been keeping to themselves.

Brooke now understood why Rory had been so keen to hold Oscar, while Haley got clucky with Riley.

"I'm so happy for you guys." she gushed, hugging Tristan tightly. "You're going to love being pregnant. It's so much fun." she added, to Rory.

"What Brooke means to say, is that it gives you a free pass to do just about anything you want, cry at the drop of a hat and eat everything insight." Jake explained, looking at his wife adoringly.

"So when are you and Nate going to start popping out the kids?" Tristan aked Lucas.

"First of all, I won't be popping out anything, as far as I know, that's women's business," Lucas explained, pointing at his sister-in-law, "as you can see. And second of all, don't let Nathan hear you including him and Lucy in your plans to repopulate the planet. Whatever they have going on, I don't think it's quite at the baby stage just yet."

"Excuse me, guys, I've got something I'd like to tell you all as well." Haley called out, standing before her family and friends.

"You aren't pregnant too are you?" Nathan asked, not having heard his brother's conversation.

"No, no, that's not what I have to say. This is actually Lucas' news, but I can't wait for him to tell you, so I'm doing it." she looked at her husband, and at his nod, she continued "Luke finished his second book. We took it into the publisher's a few days ago, and it'll be in a book store near you by February."

"Wow!"

"That's amazing."

"Congratulations."

"Oh! I want the first copy." Rory announced.

"You'd better listen to her Luke, she's pregnant." Tristan explained. "Pregnant Gilmore's are very demanding."

"We are not. Shut up!"

"What'd I tell you?"

"Who's pregnant?" called a voice from the door. Everyone turned to see who had let themself in and they all cried out happily.

"You said you couldn't make it. What are you doing here?" Brooke asked, throwing her arms around Peyton.

"I decided the club would be there when I got back, Priestly's been trying to prove to me that he can handle more responsibility. I figured he could take care of things for a few days. And besides, how often do I get to be with all my friends at the same time? This is more important. Now, back up a little. There's a baby and a book? Please elaborate."

The friends explained their news and continued to celebrate long into the night.

Their lives were even better than they had been hoping for. Everything was great.

AN2: That is ALL. I swear. It's over now. I can't believe I just did that. I saw another guy in camoflage today at work. I thought to myself, 'it must be a sign. I was meant to write this.' So there you have it. Life Can Change, and Life Did Change are now over. Did anyone catch that little bit about the sequel? Do we all agree with mrs Scott? I know I didn't include too much about their parents in this, but the original story started out as mostly something for the kids and I wanted to end with them, even if they aren't kid's anymore. And I know that Hemingway thing was a Logan comment, but I just couldn't help myself, I remembered Jess talking about him as well and I thought it would be fun to include it. I was also really keen to change Dan into a nice caring father. He may have been that at one point, but everytime I look at him now I see a murderer, I wanted to fix that, if only in my own head. That's it. I'm done now, I swear. I'm going to bed, goodnight.


End file.
